Reenforced concrete tie



W. GRAHAM REENFORCED CONCRETE TIE Sept. 21 192a. 1,600,939

Filed Oct. 15. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,939 W. GRAHAM REENFORCED CONCRETE TIE I Filed Oct. 15, 1923' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITE s" WILLIE GRAHAM, or HOUSTON, TEXAS.

OFFICE.

nEENroncED CONCRETE TIE.

Application filed ember 15, 1923. Serial No. 668,743.

This invention relates to railroadties and more especially toties of thereenforced concrete type such as shown in my Patent No.[

1,406,454 dated February 14, 1922.

The objects of this invention are to provide a reenforced concrete tie of superior strength, elasticity and resilience and having a unique means for fastening the rails and maintaining the gauge. Another object is the provision of a novel cushion. block arranged between the rail and the tie.

The tie is so shaped that adjacent ties abut under the rails thus giving almost continuous sup-port to the rails. The tie being 'narrow in the center a space is thus provided -to retain the ballast and prevent it from scattering. The narrow ends of the ties, provide spaces between the ties for tamping.

The bottom of thetie is concave ,in'a longitudinal direction to provide drainage.

The above and further .novel features will be more. apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein.

] Fig. 1 is a plan view of-a railroad track -using my novel ties, vwith certain. parts broken away to show those beneath;

Fig.2 is a. central longitudinal vertical section through a portion ofa tie, showing the rail in place; i

,Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken on line 3-3 of Figure2; c v

'Fig. 4c is a transverse section taken on line H of Figure 1; e i

Fig. 5 is' a perspective view of one end of a tie, the. remaining portion being broken away to show the reenforcing rods, -etc.; j Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a tieplate; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an inner rail clip.

Fig. 8 is a detail of a modification of the bolt head holding means. L As shown in the drawings the tie embodies a straight central section A and enlarged end sections B. The tie is of monolithic' concrete construction suitably reen forced throughout by longitudinal reenforcing bars 1 and additionally in the end sections by transverse bars 2 contacting with the-"longitudinal bars. These reenforcing bars-are arranged in several layers as is custo-mary in concrete construction inorder to provide suitable reen forcement throughout the tie. a

The cross-section of the central portion of the tie is generally rectangular with the upper corners chamfered off, as shown in F i'g: ure5.. v"

Each end section-of the tieisprovided with l a rectangular" portion 3 slightly "below the top of the central section and the centers of these portions are properly spaced longitudinally of the tie a distance equal to that between the rails. Between theportions 3 v and the central section of the tie there are '65 integral fillets 4 to strengthen the junctionv points. 7 Beyond the rectangular portions? are the tapered ends 5 shaped as shown in,

'Figures 1 and 5.v I I The rectangular portions 3 are each provided in its top with a rectangular central recess 6 of uniform depth for the reception of a cushion block 7, which provides the necessary resilient support for the rail and prevents the transmission of shock to the tie and the resultant breakage. It also imparts easier riding qualities .to the roadbed. This cushion block is ajvery important fea. ture of my invention. ;It"is composedjof rock asphalt and I have discovered by prac-FSO tical tests that such blocks'have many adg vantages over'blocks composed of any other material. The block is prepared by crushing and grinding the rock asphalt and finally pressing-in a suitable die to the: proper shape and ha'r'dness'. It has been determined that a block of the sizeshown prep'ared bythis process resists a crushing load of more than nine times that applied by-the heaviest locomotive in'passing over arail supported by these blocks set in my concrete ties.

To provide forwear of the cushion block,

' and to allow for its full cushioning effect, the end Walls of the recess '6 are cutaway long their life indefinitely.

In order'to properly fasten 'ithe rails to my tie I have developedfthe following-c011- struction, best shown in-Figures2; f3 and 8. Below each cushion block the tie is provided .With twolongitudinally}disposed slots 8.,

At the bottom of the tie the edges 'ofeach pair of slots are reenforced by a pair of ,bars 9 having inturned ends 10. The surfaces of these bars are flush with the lower face of the tierand are deeply grooved or "corrugated transversely as shown-in Figure 2.. Through the slots 8 are adapted to be passed the T-heads of bolts 11. The shank: of these bolts are cylindrical and suitably threaded at the end to receive nuts 12. For a short distance above the head, the shanks of the bolts are of squareicross'section as V shown at 13,'and the sides of the T-heads facing upwardly are corrugated'corresponding to the corrugations in bars 9. After the tiefhas been laid the T-heads of the bolts may be inserted in the slots and the bolts pushed through the tie until the roundportion of the'shank isthrough the bars 9 when the bolt can be rotated 90 and the head drawn up against the bars 9 when the'squared portion 13 fitting through the bars 9 w1ll prevent any rotation of the bolt when tight- "ening. the nut.

This} restraint of the bolt will be assisted by the interfitting corrugations on the bars and bolt head.

Fig. 8 shows a detail of a modification of the bolt head holding means. Herethe re enforcing bjarsf9 are provided with transverse grooves 24 of semi-circular cross section with the distance between centers equal to the diameter of a groove.

" face of the T-head of the bolt is provided fitwithin the grooves 24.

with a transverse rib 25 of a size to snugly The rail isadapted to rest upon a tie ,platelwhich-fits within a depression in the cushion block 7,.and is held in position by clips 15 and16 through which the upper -ends of bolts 11 extend and are clampedby nutsllEZ on the ends of-bolts 11. These clips are of bentmetal'formed as shown in the i i drawings; 'As shown in Figure 6, the 'tie plate'is slotted to pass the heads of thebolts 11 and has one end of each hole squared as at 18'for a purpose to be explained later.

In order that the rails may be properly setto gauge and lateradjusted to take up" wear, the tie plate is made slightly shorter than the recess 6 and the cushion block is provided with elongated boltholesl? aside from having a loose fit in the recess 6 whereby the tie plate and the upper ends of bolts '11 extending through it 1 may move longitudinally of the tie" for a short distance. For the purpose of allowing the necessary I movement in adjusting the rails, the tie aligned opening 19. When the clip The abutting provided at the center of the tie to provide clearance for a wrench which may be used to turn the rod 21 to adjust the gauge. The corrugations on the bolt heads and reenforcing bars 9 serve to prevent slippage of the rails longitudinally of the tie and thus help maintain the gauge perfectlya The gauge rod21 is below the surface of the tie and protected from, damage by ,anything dragging from a train;

The tie plate, the cushion block and the tie are" each provided with elongated holes through which the T-heads of bolts 11 will readily pass sothat bolts may be removed and replaced without disturbing the rail. This is of considerable importance in case a bolt should be defective or break in service.

The particular shape of my tie is very important; The diamond shaped space 0 is adaptable to hold ballast and prevent it from scattering, and this ballast acts to prevent longitudinal displacement of the ties. -The spaces D between the outer ends of'the ties provide for further ballast and allow proper tamping in order to elevate the ties to a desired level. The bottom of eachtie is cut away, as shown at E in Figure 2, so that the tie is about one inch thinner in the center than at the ends, to provide proper gravity drainage.

Another important feature of the particular shape of the ties is the almost continuous support given the rail,-since the large endsof the ties'abut." This also .provides a smooth track in case of derailment instead of the usual bumpy wooden ties with their wide spacings. It has been found that the use of these ties reduces the number of ties per track mile by one-third to one'half.

It will be seen from the above that I have provided a novel form of concrete tie and cushioning and fastening means for the rail. It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular form or details shown and that variouschanges may be madewithoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as ing claims. 7 a 7 Having thusdes'cribed the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is: 1

1. A railroad tie comprising a reenforced set forth in the follow 1 concrete portion, a recess in said'portion, a cushion block in said recess, and means adjustable longitudinally of vsaid tie holding said rail to said cushion block and both to said concrete portion.

2. In a monolithic concrete tie, a cushion block to receive the rail, slots through the end portions ofthe tie and cushion block, reenforcing bars lining the slots at the botblock, tie plate and rail clips,.the heads of said bolts being adjustable longitudinally of the tie and meansto lock said heads in adjusted position.

4. In a railroad tie, means for adjusting the gauge comprising, a tie plate andrail clip for each rail, a nut for each tie plate 7 and rail clip and clamped therebetween, said nuts on one rail being oppositely threaded to those on the other, and a rod, correspond ingly threaded connecting said opposite nuts. a

5. In a railroad tie, means for holding each rail to the tie, oppositely threaded means on each holding means and a threaded rod connecting said threaded means and lying Wholly below the surface of said tie.

6. In a reenforced concrete railroad tie, a

ac I rail cushion comprising a block of mechanically compressed self-supporting rock asphalt. 7. A cushion block for railroad ties'coniprising mechanically crushed and compressed rock asphalt having non-flowing properties.

8. A cushion blockcomposed of mechanically compressed rock asphalt.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIE GRAHAM 

